Tent



Feb. 23, 1932. J J. ADAMS 1,846,011

TENT

Filed Oct. 5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l iii/Adam 2M /7z 3 Feb. 23, 1932. J. J. ADAMS 1,846,011

TENT

Filed Oct. 5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 23, 1932 J'UZDSON J". ADAMS, OF ZANESVILLE, OHIO TENT Application filed. October 5, 1929. Serial No. 397,619.

This invention relates to improvements in tents, and is especially directed to tents of a readily erected and collapsed type particularly adapted for use as chapels in conducta ing funeral services at the burial grounds.

The invention may also be used by campers,

tourists, concession and the like in securing adequate temporary shelter.

A primary object of the invention resides in the provision of a tent of this character wherein is provided a coliapsible frame construction capable of being readily taken apart and erected without the use of bolts or special tools and one which will serve to support the fabric covering of the tent in an operative and taut manner and wherein the tent as a whole will be staunch and stationary in its set-up position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tent which when erected, will contain a room clear of any posts and obstructions formed by the frame thereof which are in the way of the occupants of the tent and hinder their activities therein.

A further object is to provide a frame structure which is simple in construction, durable, strong, comparatively inexpensive and one which will require but a minimum of skill and labor for erecting and collapsing thereof.

l/Vith these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts hereinafter to be more fully described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view taken of a tent having a frame constructed in accordance with the features of the present inven tion,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view showing the connection between the ridge rod and the frame structure,

Figure 3 is an end elevation thereof,

Figure 4C is a side elevation showing the ridge rod disconnected from its support.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2, 1

Figure 6 is a fragmentary end elevation showing the connection between the frame structure and the ridge rod support,

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a side elevation showing one of the leg members of the tent,

Figure 9 is a top plan view thereof,

Figure 10 is a view taken at right angles to Figure 8 showing the connection at the upper end of said leg section,

Figure 11 is a horizontal sectional view taken 011 the line 1111 of Figure 8,

Figure 12 is a top plan view of the awning frame, 1

Figure 13 is a fragmentary view disclosing more in detail the lower end of the leg member of the tent,

Figure 14: is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 1 t-14= of Figure 8, and

Figure 15 is a side view of one of the connections between certain of the frame members of the tent structure. 1,

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates my improved tent comprising the present invention in its entirety. The collapsible tent frame comprises four upstanding leg sections 2 of special construction, which are arranged at the four corners of the tent. Supported thereon is a substantially horizontally disposed framework composed of side and end members 3 and l. These members are each formed in two sections of substantially equal lengths which are detachably joined to one another in order that said members maybe reduced in length for convenient handling and storage thereof when the tent is not in active use. This detachable connection between the sections forming the side members 3 may be of the pin and bayonet slot construction wherein the slot 3a is formed ina sleeve 3?) carried by one of the sections and a pin for engagement with the slotis carried by the adjoin ing end of the other of said sections. The outer ends of the end members a have secured thereto corner fittings 5 which are formed to include sockets 6 for the reception of the upper ends of the leg sections 2. The connection between these fittings and the leg sections 2 are of a bayonet slot and pin construction 7 by which the leg sections may be readily disengaged from said fittings as will be understood by referring to Figure 8 of the drawings. The fittings are formed with projecting pins 8 positioned in axial alignment with the end members 4, and are adapted to be received within apertured lugs 9 carried by the outer ends of the side members 3. It will be seen that by means of these fittings the frame members 3 and 4 may be held rigidly in their erected positions upon the leg sections. The end members are also formed in two sections and have their adjoining ends connected by means of cross shaped fittings 10 carriedby one of the said sections. These fittings serve to connect the said sections and are formed with a horizontally disposed socket 11 to which the other of said sections is detachably connected by means of the bayonet slot construction 12. The fittings are also formed with vertically extending bores 13 to which are adjustably secured the lower ends of a pair of upstanding supporting rods 14. The rods 14 may be held'in any of their adjusted positions within the bores 13 by means of thumb screws 15 carried by the fittings 10. Connected to the upper ends of the posts or supporting rods 14 are the outer ends of a ridge rod 16 which extends longitudinally of the frame structure. This rod is also formed of two sections of similar length as that of the side members 3 and are also joined by means of a bayonet slot connection 17 of similar construction as that formed with the side and end members 3 and 4. To detachably connect the outer ends of this ridge rod and the supporting rods 14 the meeting ends thereof are connected by means of a hook and pin connection 18. r This connection is formed to comprise a pair of spaced lugs 19 carried by the upper end of the supporting rod 14 and connecting said lugs in a pin 20 arranged to be received within the angular slot 21 of the lug 22, formed upon the outer end of the ridge rod 16. The lug 22 is adapted to be positioned between the lugs 19 and by springing the members 14 inwardly it will be seen that the pin 20 will be positioned'within the lateral offset portion of the slot 21, thus holding the ridge rod 16' in secured relationship with the supporting rods 14.

To further stabilize the ridge rod 16 there are provided angular braces 23, which have their lower ends connected to the end members 4 by means of lug and pin connections 24. The upper ends of said brace members 23 are pivotally'connected toeach other by means of scissor shaped fittings 25. These fittings are formed with a pair of short pin projections 26 which are received within apertured lugs 27 formed upon sleeves 28 carried by the ridge rod 16. The fittings together with the fittings 10. serve to hold the ridge rod in a secure manner upon the members 3 and 4 of the frame structure.

In order to extend the tent covering 29 over a greater area, one or more sides of the tent may be provided with awning frames 30 which have their inner ends provided with transversely positioned pins 31 adapted to be positioned within slots 32 formed within spaced lugs 33 provided upon slidable fittings 34 adjustably carried upon the leg sections 2. By means of these fittings the awning frames 30 may be adjusted to various angular positions to provide the best shelter and protection for the occupants of the tent. The awning frame 30 may be formed to include end members 41 which have theirouter ends detachably connected with an outer or side portion 42. The awning frames 30 may further be provided with supporting braces 35 which serve to relieve the strain of the tent covering- 29 and its connection with the outer portion of the awning frames 30. The brace 35 has its lower end hingedly connected to the end portion 41 of the awning frame, as, at 43, by means of a suitable connecting element which is secured to the end portion 41 at a point intermediate its ends. The upper end of the brace 35 is hingedly and detachably connected as at 44 to a slidable fitting 45 adj ustably carried upon the leg section 2 above and spaced from the fitting 34. It will be observed also that the hinged connection indicated at 43 is so made that when the ends of the members 41 and the brace 35 are disconnected from the fittings 34and 45, the brace 35 will be positioned parallel and adjacent the member 41. The awning frames 30 may be formed of sections which are held in a detachable manner with each other similar to that of the side and end members 3 and 4. It will be seen that by means of the detachable connections between the inner ends of'the awning frames 30 and the leg sections 2, the said awnings may be disconnected therefrom and dropped vertically so as to form side and end walls for the tent in order to protect theoccupants of the tent from inclement weather conditions. In folding down the awning to form a side wall of the tent it will not be necessary to disconnect the upper end of the brace from the fitting 45 but the inner end of the end member 41 may be disconnected from the fittings 34, and-the fitting 45 to which the brace 35 is hingedly attached may be adjusted upwardly so as to permit the end member 41 to be moved so astoextend parallel with the brace 35 and remains suspended against the post 2 sothat the awning will be converted into a side wall of the tent. In order that the tent structure may be erected on grounds having uneven or irregular surfaces, theleg sections 2 are provided with ground engaging or foot members 36 which have their stems 37 'slidably received within the lower tubular ends of said leg sections and are held in their adjusted positions by means of thumb screws or the like 38 threadly positioned and carried by the lower ends of the leg sections 2. By means of the enlarged foot members 36 and due to the adjustable connections between these members and the leg sections of the tent, the tent may stand without the use of guy ropes or the like for anchoring the same to the ground. If it is desired, however, to anchor the tent more securely by guy ropes, the corner fittings 5 may be provided with apertured ears 39 to which the said guy ropes may be attached. The lower ends of the leg sections 2 may also be provided with eyelets 40 to which the awnings are fastened when serving as side walls of the tent.

In view of the foregoing it will be seen that by the present invention a simple yet substantial frame construction is provided for tents and similar devices for temporary shelter, which has the advantage of being compara tively light in weight, simple and economical till in construction, may be collapsed in compact form and one which is capable of being erected or taken down easily and conveniently by one operator. The frame construction, it will be observed, occupies the corners of the tent and the top construction is of such shape and form as not be interfere in any manner with the occupants of the tent when the latter is being used.

It will be also noted that the tent construction is such that most of the frame sections are formed of substantially equal lengths which are detachably connected with one another without the use of threaded fastening devices, permitting the tent to be collapsed quickly and arranged into a bundle of com paratively small size which may be placed, if desired, upon the running board of a motor vehicle for convenient transportation.

The many advantages of the tent without further comment thereon, will be understood by those skilled in the art to which this up pertains.

iVhat is claimed. is:

1. In a tent, a collapsible frame construction comprising four uprights constituting legs for the frame structure, side members detachably connected to the upper ends of said legs, a ridge rod positioned centrally and above said members, end supports for said ridge rod, and diagonally arranged supporting braces detachably connecting the ridge rod and certain of said members.

2. In a tent, a collapsible frame construction comprising corner posts, end and side members carried by said posts, corner fittings carried by the outer ends of said end members and provided with sockets for the reception of the upper ends of said corner posts, projections formed with said fittings and adapted to be received within apertured lugs carried by the outer ends of said side members, a ridge rod arranged above and connected to the central portion of said end members and adjustable vertically with respect to said last named members, and a tent covering carried by said ridge rod and hav ing certain of its lower edges fastened to said side members.

3. In a tent, a collapsible frame construction comprising corner posts adjustable as to the height thereof a horizontal frame carried by said posts and cletachably connected therewith, a ridge rod supported by said horizontal frame and positioned centrally thereof, diagonally positioned supporting braces connecting said ridge rod and said horizontal frame, awning frames adjustably supported upon said corner posts and a tent covering extending from said ridge rod and connected to the outer ends of said awning frames.

4. In a tent, a collapsible frame construction comprising uprights and horizontal members detachably connected to the upper end of said uprights, a pair of vertically spaced fittings adjustably carried by the upper portion of each of said uprights, an awning frame having each of its end members detachably and hingedly connected at one end to one of said lower fittings, a pair of supporting braces, each of said braces being hingedly and detachably connected at one end to one of said upper fittings and having its other end hingedly connected to one of said end members at a point intermediate its ends.

5. In a tent, a collapsible frame construction comprising uprights and horizontal members detachably connected to the upper ends of said uprights, a pair of vertically spaced fittings carried by the upper portion of each of said uprights, one of said fittings being capable of vertical adjustment on said upright, an awning frame detachably and hingedly connected to two of said lower fittings, a pair of supporting braces, each of said braces being hingedly connected at one end to one of said upper fittings and having its other end hingedly connected to said awning frame.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

J UDSON J. ADAMS. 

